Oyster-carrier.



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P. MfELLEDGB.

OYSTER CARRIER.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 8, 1907.

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PATENTED SEPT. 10, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FORREST M. ELLEDGE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO SANITARY OYSTER CARRIER AND COMMISSION CO., OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

OYSTER-CARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10,l 1907.

.Application filed February 8,1907. Serial No. 356,311.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FoRRns'r M. ELLEDGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oyster-Carriers, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to an oyster carrier, and the object of my invention being to construct a simple receptacle or container which receives and holds the oysters during transportation, and which container may be packed with ice to maintain the oysters in a fresh condition during transportation, and the entire carrier being of such form as to be easily and conveniently handled.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a vertical section taken through a carrier of my improved construction; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawingsz-l designates the outer member of the container which is in the form of a keg, and adapted to close the upper end thereof is a hinged cover 2, made up of a pair of circular wooden plates which are arranged with the grain of the wood running at right angles to one another in order to prevent warping of the cover, and

the lower plate being smaller in diameter than the upper plate. This cover is held to the keg l by means of a hinge 3, and lthere being a hasp 4 carried by the opposite side of the cover which engages over a staple 5 fixed in the keg.

Fixed to the under side of the edge of the upper plate of the cover 2 is a packing ring 6, composed of a suitable thickness of felt, or analogous material, and which fits snugly between the lower plate of the cover and the upper inner edge of the keg when the cover is closed thereon, thus forming a comparatively air and water tight joint between said keg and the cover.

The inner containers which receive the oysters are in the form of cans 9, preferably constructed of sheet metal, and semi-circular in cross section, in order that when said cans are placed together on the interior of the keg l, they will form a round body therein in order to form an annular space between said cans and the keg, in which cold water and air may circulate, thus cooling the contents of said cans. n

I-Iinged to the straight upper edge of each can is a lid l0, and hinged to the upper edge of each lid is a depending hasp l1, the lower end 0f which is bent upwardly, as designated by l2, in order to form a spring member which engages against the inner surface of the keg, and thus yieldingly holds the upper end of each can in proper position within the keg. Each hasp Il is slotted to receive a staple 13; and fixed to each can and hinged to the top of each lid is a handle 14,'by means of which the cans are removed from the keg l.

Arranged in the side of the keg, adjacent the bottom thereof, is a small vent pipe 15, the outer end of which occupies a plane above that occupied by the inner end which vent tube is for the purpose of permitting the discharge of water resulting from the melting ice within the keg; and by reason of the inclination of said tube, air is prevented from entering the keg, owing to the closing of the lower` end of said tube' by the water.

When my improved carrier is packed for shipment, the cans 9 are filled with oysters, after which the lids l0 are closed, and the hasps ll being swung downwardly and engaged over the staples 13, and suitable sealing devices are applied to said staples outside the hasps. i

The relative sizes of the cans when fitted together, and the diameter of the opening into the keg, prevent said cans from being placed in or removed from the keg simultaneously; and when said cans are being placed in and out of the keg, it is necessary to tilt the upper end of one can slightly to permit the insertion or removal of the opposite can, and, when both cans are in proper position within the keg, the upturned ends l2 of the hasp ll engage against the inside of said keg, thus holding the cans in a concentric position, and at the same time preventing the upper ends of said cans from shifting or falling against the keg l during transit.

After the cans have been properly positioned in the keg, a suitable seal is applied to the handles Ill, to prevent the removal of either can without breaking the seal, after which the ice is placed in the space above the can. The cover 2 is now placed upon the upper end of the keg, and a suitable fastening device applied to the staple 5, after the hasp 4 has been engaged thereon, which device is of such construction as to be readily released, in order that the cover may be lifted when the ice supply is replenished. The carrier is now ready for transportation, and the oysters are maintained in a fresh condition within the cans.

The vent pipe l5 permits the water from the melting ice-to escape from the keg, and the arrangement of the seals on the staples 13 and handles 14 acts as a safeguard to prevent the carrier and cans being opened and removed by unauthorized persons.

A carrier of my improved construction is simple in construction, of such size and form as to be conveniently handled, and provides means whereby the WWW-hw Y.

oysters may be shipped for a considerable distance and kept in a comparatively fresh condition.

I claim:-

1. A11 oyster carrier, comprising a container, a pair of vmating receptacles removably arranged in the container,

covers hinged to said receptacles, hasps carried by the covers, the lower` ends of said hasps being bent upwardly to form spring members which engage against the inside ot the container' when the receptacles are positioned therein.

2. An oyster' carrier, comprising a cylindrical container, a pair of semicircular receptacles positioned in the container, covers for said receptacles, and means arranged 

